life experiences & findings

My journey as a "student of life" and an artist, with room for the
playful or downright silly, in my world, locally or globally.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Freedom From Icy Sidewalks

As someone may well have once said..."If it walks like a duck...if it slips and slideslike a duck...it must be icy sidewalks!". Just returned home from my duck walking session today. I slipped a few times...but managed somehow,,,to keep myself fromsplatting on to the sidewalk. This winter danger...is perhaps less well publicizedthan others...but there are days like today...when it arrives without any fanfare.Only last night...I was talking to a relative...about how solid footing...is a largepart of the homeostasis we human beings hope to always have in our lives. Things like...earthquakes...being out on the ocean on very rough seas...{I remember a ferry ridefrom Prince Rupert to Haida Gwai...where the waves were lashing the passenger deck ofthe boat we were on...and we were all hanging on...in more ways than one...waiting for the six hour journey...to end. It finally did...leaving all of us who had experienced it...with neuronal pathways we do not wish to travel on...ever again.]...and ice under foot...tend to take this solid ground feeling away from our lives. But back to New Year's Eve and wishes for the new year...I wish all...solid footing...wherever they walk or stand...internally or externally...I wish them freedom from icy sidewalks coming into their lives...................Quester.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

One More Chance

[Words from "One More Chance"-Copyright-SOCAN]"It's not just another morning...it's another chance...to do the work I'm meant to do...to live...to love...to dance...It's a gift upon the wind...that blows in from the sun...the pulse of life in everything...to lead me 'til I'm done...One more chance to dance...Use the power turning in me...Rise up to the sky...Bourne on eagle's wings...One more chance to dance...To the beat of life all round me...Join the song the wheel of morning sings"....................................Quester.

Monday, December 29, 2008

New Year Resolutions

After lunch today...out in the world...I got out my daily black and red journal...thatI seldom leave home without...and started putting down...some ideas about the New Year...and what I might do...in different sectors of my life. The coming of the New year...does tend to give us human beings,,,a sense that we have a clean slate to write on...which,,,in turn...gets us into resolution making. Being aware of how easy it is...to make resolutions that are too big to be delivered on...I try to keep mine modest...while not denying...that some areas of "massive make over"...could happen. The other thing to be avoided...if you can pull it off...is not to broadcast to the world...what it is you're planning to change in your life...lest you don't get round to it...in the New Year. On second thought...telling everyone what you're planning...might "hold your feet to the fire"...and help to push you to get it done...it's just the first option I mentioned seems to suit how I process things...better. So best wishes to all...with their New Year's resolutions...public or private. Let's get this new leaf turned over!................................Quester.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Happy New Year

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Scare Crow In The Snow

Once wrote a song...triggered by the sight of a rag doll...lying in an alleyway...alongwith other discarded things. It struck me instantly...as being a great metaphor forabandonment...and it wasn't long before the song..."Like a Broken Doll"...arrived.Today's picture...is of a scare crow...in a yard...I've taken pictures of...in the summer. It struck me...that a snowed in scare crow...has somehow lost its power toscare...although there's nothing left to guard at this time of the year. It's job now...is just to hang in...and look forlorn...and even pretty...enshrouded by the snow...until the growing time...comes once again...............Quester.

Friday, December 26, 2008

A Short...Late...Entry

Having been involved in editing videos all afternoon...I've come within awhisker of not posting anything today. Only just now twigged to the fact...so this is the entry for the day. Blessings to all..............Quester.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas Wishes

It's Christmas morning...and the snow has stayed on...giving us a white one. I'mheading off a bit layer...for Christmas dinner with relatives...and doing a bit ofcatching up with ones I haven't seen for a bit. To all who read this...here's wishingyou...a peaceful and fulfilling Christmas!. Blessings.................Quester.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Changes Brought By The Weather

On a day like today...with the snow falling...and the roofs in the foreground...[thebackground...including my mountains...have been blotted out]...in danger of caving infrom their snow load...I can see why strangers ...in close proximity to each other...in elevators...and other crowded spaces...talk about the weather...like I'm doing right now. It's in your face...and on your mind...and unavoidable. I have often smiled at the sight of different coloured umbrellas...bobbing along the sidewalk...as it snowed ...out here on the West Coast. It's a sight I don't think I've ever seen...anywhere else in the North...[an Equator Boy's term for Canada etc.]. Anyway...a little while ago I joined the sidewalk bobbers...supposedly sheltering under my tattered black snow protector. Don't know how much protection I got from it...but I smiled in recognition of my having finally become a true West Coaster...in the winter. However stubborn you may be...the weather where you live...will wreak its changes on you...and have you talking and writing about the weather...like everybody else..........Quester.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

A Peaceful Holiday Wish

My visitor arrived safely last night and I was relieved...after all the recent direwarnings about the weather. So...this will be short...we're just about to go out forlunch. A peaceful lead up to...and through the holiday...to all.........Quester.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Cherry Blossoms In The Snow

Braced myself this morning...putting on extra layers of clothing...and went out toface my wintry surroundings...thinking it would be as cold as yesterday was. It wasn't. I'd lost another battle...trying to dress for the weather in Canada...bssed on what I see from my window. It turned out to be...not bitingly cold. As a matter of fact...it was very suited to taking winter wonderland pictures. Think I got several good ones...but thought I'd publish this one...of a branch of cherry blossoms high lighted by the snow ...a combination you don't see every day...but one of the pleasant surprises for the eye and senses...that can happen on the West Coast. I'll be processing more of today's pictures...later. Blue skies outside my window...keep the afternoon blooming beautifully.....................Quester.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Looks Like A White Christmas

My mountains have vanished...the roof tops are white...the bare trees now sport snowblossoms...the snow boots and umbrellas are moving slowly and carefully along the sidewalks...winter has arrived on the West Coast...the day they said it would. I hope thatmy relative who is supposed to visit for the holidays...chooses a window of opportunityto travel...that reduces the difficulty of travel...the way it must be out there today.Just came in from snow world...it's cold out there too...but in eleven days only...January will be here...my month of hope on the West Coast. By then...hopefully...thissnow will be gone...and the flowers of spring...will very gradually begin to maketheir appearance...as the month...and the ones to follow...unfold. In the meantime...looks like this year...there's going to be...a White Christmas..........Quester.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Christmas Beyond Shopping

I've likely expressed on this Blog before...that I do not embrace the "shop and showthat you care" approach to Christmas...and other holidays. I understand the economyneeds psople to do some shopping...and I've done my share in general...in my time...but I lean towards...human beings exercising their creative potential...and especiallywith the gifts they give. My central difficulty with shopping to show that you care...is that too often...it appears to take the place of exercising creativity, As a matterof fact...in some circles...giving someone a gift you've created...may be regarded ascheap. I definitely don't espouse that way of slapping down creativity...which I thinkthe world needs to manifest more...in order to make the quality of life better. I saw an item on the tv news recently that gave me hope. It is...of course very ironic...but it appears that...in the face of the recent economic down turn...some people have started to create the gifts they are planning to give this Christmas. Hallelujah!...that may well turn out to be one of the silver linings in the difficulties people are going through...financially. Lest what I've said...attract the "grinch" label...let me say...that my approach to Christmas...is strongly towards...friends and family...meeting and sharing...and people being peaceful and showing goodwill to each other...I just think that there are ways other than shopping...to do that. By the way...today's picture...is one of my digital creations.........Quester.

Friday, December 19, 2008

"Can't Complain"

Am still chilled from a walk out in my world earlier. Guess this is the cold snap ofthe season right here...although winter is technically not yet here. The sun is shiningand the sky is pretty blue though...so as we used to say on the river I grew up on..."can't complain". I don't usually send out Christmas cards...but several good peoplehave sent me theirs...so I bought a bunch earlier...to reply to them with...and am inthe process of writing them up. This is a reminder how far I've come away from having much to do with snail mail...with the cards I'm now sending...I still have several steps in the process left to deliver on...before they are all winging their way outwardbound...but again..."Can't complain"...................Quester.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Rainbow People

I've been meaning for a while...to upload one of my digitally created pictures...tothis Blog. Finally...last night I went on a search for the disc my digitally madepictures were on. When I got my first computer in 2002...a painting program came with it. I eyed it for about four months...the way I tended to do in those early computerdays...before I plunged into making digital paintings. It was an absolute liberation...after toiling long hours on my acrylic paintings...to try out my painting ideas...in quick succession...i.e. if one didn't work...clicking "don't save"...and trying another...free from the torturous process...of redoing an acrylic painting. My door will always be open to applying paints and brush...to an actual rather than a virtual canvas...given that kind of picture making has its own fine qualities...but...what an exhilerating experience it was to try out all kinds of picture ideas at warp speed!. I did find the disc I was looking for...which enablesme to present to the world...my digitally created picture..."Rainbow People".Recently video making...has seized my creative focus...but seeing my digital picturesonce more...makes me think of returning...to that wonderful world...of superbgradients...and magical effects..............................Quester.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Happy First Snow

Last night...the snow came down from the mountain tops and sides...to my neighbourhood.A little while ago I put on my snow boots...for the first time this season...and witha layer or two added on...ventured out...to experience the first snows of thewinter...in my neck of the woods. Of course...my camcorder...and my digital still camera...were part of my equipment as I headed out...and I did get some good video clips...and digital stills...of the white new world...outside my windows. The first snows...usually catch us West Coasters...off guard. Perhaps that's because most of thewinters out here...it doesn't snow very much...or it might a bit...but doesn't stick around. I wouldn't be surprised...to see on this evening's tv news...accounts ofaccidents...and other events caused by the snow. Anyway...out here...it tends to snow...just enough to appreciate the beauty of snow...without having togird yourself...to face four or five more months of it. So...happy first snow to all...and may your battles with the snow...be short..................Quester.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Uploading Again!

This morning marked the third day in a row...that I tried to upload a new video toYouTube...only to have a sign saying "queued" appear...with no uploading happening...as time went by. I went to YouTube's help centre...found all kinds of tips about otherthings...even typed in a question or two...in the "space provided"...to no avail. Iwas in my full..."if this don't work...try that" mode...when I finally decided to lookthrough all the text...on the page that said..."queued" at the top. Right at the bottom...I found a place marked something like..."go back to old uploader". It appearsthat the uploader I'd been using for the last while...was one geared to upload manyvideos at one fell swoop...[guess that's where the word..."queued"...came in]. I hadwondered what had happened to the "old uploader" that I had used...from when I startedposting videos on YouTube. Anyway...I clicked the "go back" place...and there wasthe page...that had helped me upload so many videos in the past. I filled it out andclicked the appropriate places...and it didn't take long...before my newest video..."The Trout"...was on YouTube"...and within 15 minutes...had 5 views...and 2 five starratings. I am still feeling a sense of relief...at being able to upload videos again...something else to give thanks for...on this sunny but cool morning......Quester.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Universal Online Access...Reflections

For those human beings who have video or other creations that can be shared online...the benefit of having universal access to sites like YouTube and Blogger...are obvious. For all...these online systems...offer a place where you can express yourself. It takes discipline...not to plunge into the "sea of subjectivity"...it seems to offer...that might sometimes result in rantings and ravings...that are a form of self expression ...and may even be therapeutic...but...may not communicate much of anything useful or uplifting...to would be viewers. This morning...however...I find myself thinking about how much we curtail what we have to say...in our every day conversations with others...not wanting to "offend" etc. Looking at that...makes me see...why...there has to be some benefit...beyond narcissistic expression...for a human being to have a place where each person using it...can be him or herself...and...in a way...say to the world...this is who I am...take it or leave it...if you don't like what you see or hear in this place...you don't have to visit here again. As I reflect on the pros and cons of having universal online access thesedays...I see this...over all...as being a place where each of us can make our stand...if we need to...or say to the world...what you are seeing and hearing here...iscloser to who I really am...than when we meet out there...in the world of trying notto offend...or seeking to advance ourselves...in the "real" world.........Quester.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

"Welcome To Earth"

This picture was taken yesterday. That's Grouse mountain at the bottom of the picture.What's at the top?. I have an idea about what it likely is...but...today...I'm notsaying. I leave whoever reads this to speculate on that...themselves. I think thatdeep down in the human make up...there is a fascination about sightings in the sky...the "what is that I just saw up there" thing...the wanting to have answers to mysteries ...the wondering about other life forms...that we feel...likely exist...out there. It's that last one in particular...that intrigues me...how can we be so earth and antropocentric...to believe that in such a profusion of galaxies...we are the only ones ...with life...or a modicum of intelligence?. The other side of the factors or questions I've just mentioned...is the "gullibility" factor. Are many of us...so open to believing...just about anything we see in the skies...as having to be extra-terrestrial...that we insist on that as being what we've seen...forgetting that UFO only refers to an object seen in the skies...being so far "undentified"...and notautomatically "extra-terrestrial". While hoping not to be easily taken in...I remainopen to the subject of UFO's and what the origins of some may be. If I were toreceive a visitation from the occupants of one of them...I'll be able to claim...Inever totally doubted your existence...give me some brownie points for that...beforeyou do what you have to do...and while I'm at it..."Welcome to Earth".....Quester.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

The Snows Are Really Back

Took my look out of my front window this morning...to see if there was any mountain orcloud action going on. There was. With camcorder and little digital camera...Istepped out on my freezing balcony...and took some pictures. What was the reason for all this?". The snow was really back...on the mountain tops...and part way down the mountain sides. The reason I said "really"...is that there may have been a bit of white on some of the mountain tops...previous to today...but today...there's no question that the snows are back...painting a wide swathe across the mountains...well below their tops...and highlighted by the morning sun. For me...my mountains become even more interesting...when the snow comes to them...in addition to the beautiful pictures mountains make...when they are joined by the magical formations and hues...clouds sometimes bring to the picture. Perhaps the snows may come down to the valleys...where I am...making the lower places beautiful too...but no doubt wreaking havoc...as us lowland humans try to move around...but this morning I can justexperience their beauty...shining out from high up...announcing that the snows are really back......Quester.

Friday, December 12, 2008

"Thank You...Eva...Thank You"

As a musical person...I never had any idols...and I consciously avoided copyinganyone. I stayed away from agents...managers...and publicists...and...for the most part...the music industry as a whole. The one constant through this...which was important to me...is I kept on creating songs...having figured out...that a publisher could refuse to publish a book of mine...or a record company turn its back on my songs...but no one...except myself...could stop me...from creating what I was nudged to create. I could continue to create...without looking to these external agents to define me...or my work. Last night...I went song video surfing on YouTube...and rediscovered an artist...who whether she was strongly in the music industry...or not...[I don't really know]...transcended all of that. I am refering to Eva Cassidy...who passed on a few years ago. The thing is...the songs I was listening to her sing...were not songs she had written. They were songs...some of them old...like "Autumn Leaves"...and "Tennesee Waltz"...that she had brought her own haunting voice and interpretation to...with tremendously subtle work on the guitar...that amplified the beauty of the songs she was singing. In recent times...I've been inundated with notices about videos...with people singing cover songs...that appear to be little more than acts of hubris...with the cover song singer thinking he or she could bring something to the song...the original writer of it...or singer...could not. So...I'm not in the habit of rushing to hear someone do a cover song. Listening to Eva...last night...I was reminded that there are some artists...who are not just riding the coat tails of a well known song...or song maker...but can bring something to a song...that takes it to a higher and moving level. Never thought I'd see the day...when as someone sang a cover song...I would catch myself...as I did last night...saying to the screen on which the song was playing..."Thank you...Eva...Thank you!".....................Quester.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

A Purple Blooming Tree

Within the last week...as I was walking past this yard...something caught my eye...perhaps because it stood out from the bare trees...bedraggled gardens...and survivingflowers...of this time of the year. It was a purple bloomimg tree. At the risk ofhearing a loud...stern reprimand...I took a few steps from the public sidewalk...intothe yard...to get a better shot of the tree. The result was today's picture. I stilldon't know whether the purple in the tree...was caused by flowers...or some other kind of bearing...as I felt walking right up to it...to inspect it...would likely bring a charge of trespassing in its wake...but was glad to get my picture...anyway. One day...I hope to know a bit more...about this mysterious...and wonderfully welcome...little tree...that blooms at this time of year...in these climes...but for now...a picture I didn't expect to have...the day I ended up taking it...will do........Quester.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

"Happy Wednesday" From Woe Boy

There's a little poem I learnt as a child...that was no doubt designed to help youremember the names of the days of the week. That may have been the intent...but I tooksomething else out of it. It's interesting that the only line I can remember from it...is..."Wednesday's child is full of woe". I happened to have been born on a Wednesday...so I couldn't help but make the connection between me and woe...and it mayhave added one more thing to my list of things to overcome...in my journey through life. One of the lines of this poem said that a child born on another day of the week...was..."full of grace". I just can't remember which day of the week that was...but I certainly knew...that it wasn't about "woe boy". Regardless...a happy Wednesday...even to all of those ...who happen to have been born on this day...which according to that little poem...is to be avoided....when you're deciding to come into this world. The things they teach us...early on............................Quester.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Video Making & the Big Picture

Editing a video last night...as I was adding an effect to one of the clips...I noticedthat the small sign at the bottom of the screen had turned to red...meaning I was rapidly running out of space...and risking having my computer crash on me. I somehow was able to abort the function the machine was engaged in...did one or two other things...then played back the video in question. It didn't take long to see that a chunk of it was missing. I tried several things to see if I could restore the missingpiece...but they didn't work. Knowing I would likely have to record over the wholevideo...left me feeling jangled...and I had to work on myself to quell my dissonance...and get a good night's sleep...the better to fight another day. One of the notionsthat helped me to regain my balance...as distasteful as it is to do over work you'vealready done...was to look at the Big Picture...when you're making videos...i.e. toremind myself...that I've successfully completed many videos...and along the way...at least a few...are likely to get botched...so the thing is...to simply accept thatpart too...of my video making adventures...and turn myself to a "do over"...free ofjangle. I hope to do this one over soon...and I have the sense that I've learntsomething from the mistake I made last night...i.e. make sure you have enough roomin your computer...to complete the job you're setting out to do. So...unpleasant asit was...last night's fiasco...turned out to be a learning experience...and that'spart of the Big Picture too......................Quester.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Erstwhile Navigations

This afternoon I figured out how to post a bulletin on my YouTube channel. To mostpeople...born to a computer keyboard...this...of course...would be nothing to writeabout. For me...being at a computer keyboard...for the first time in my life...withthe acquisition of my first computer...a shiny white eMac...only in 2002...with the many computer free years distancing me from familiarity with computerdom...pulling off such things...continues to be a challenge...every time. I have to confess...that today's "bulletin"...was actually my second effort at this...the first one resulting...in that message in pink you get...that indicates...sometimes for unfathomable reasons..."not successful". So...this afternoon's success...inches me forward...in learning how to activate...one more of the many options available on a YouTube site. I'm not quite there yet...but...one day...I hope to fully utilise all the attributes available on my site. Thing is...they tend to change some of them...and where they are located...just as I'm getting used to them. Well...it all keeps you on your toes...or should I say...exercises your "brain fitness". Anyway...despite the challenges...I'm still enjoying my..."erstwhile navigations"...through cyberspace...and the fruits they bring me...may they continue................................Quester.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

A Thousand Highways

Just uploaded to YouTube a video of a song called..."A Thousand Highways"...with thelines..."So long...goodbye...to a thousand highways I have taken...I have forsaken my roving ways". This song foreshadowed...my finally leaving the touring part of the lifeof a song maker behind. I remember how it became tougher and tougher to leave home...travel long...and find myself alone in a hotel...in a town where I was going to sing...where sometimes...I didn't know anyone. What helped me to leave touring behind...was that I din't need to feed a hunger to be in front of audiences...performing...to define me. Fortunately...it was...the creating of songs and other things...that was central to me...in being an artist. Creating...after I moved to living on the beautiful ...inspiring West Coast...suited the life I found myself wanting to live...so much so...that I found myself not wanting to leave my mountains and ocean behind...to go anywhere. Today...I can look out at my mountains...although that is not always the case...with the sun shining on parts of them...notcovered by clouds...and echo the words of a song...a bit like a prophecy...writtena long time ago..."so long...goodbye...to a thousand highways I have taken"............................Quester.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Book Of Love Revisited

[Words from song: "Book of Love"-Copyright-SOCAN-Video on YouTube]"And lovers come...and lovers go...like flowers bloomingfor a day...It's nothing new...ir's nothing strange...smile at them as they walk away...You're luckyto dance even onceand share in the sweet mystery...A man and a woman as one...a jewel you keep when its gone...".........Quester.

Friday, December 05, 2008

Angelina

[Words from song Angelina-Copyright-SOCAN-Video on YouTube]"It's early in the morning...on the west coast of my life...the hemlocks at my window...are dancing in the dew...My space is mine to squander...with ghosts that I once knew...my time is mine to wonder...what happened to the daysand nights that I once knew...Angelina...where are you now?...Oh sweet Teresa...won't you show me how?...to live in patiencewith the night and day...dance in the Here and Now...'til it blows away...".............Quester.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Gift Of Mobility

Felt the need this afternoon...to have lunch outside my immediate neighbourhood...andalso to have a good long walk. So...I walked across my East end surroundings...out toCommercial Drive...which could be called one of the outer edges of my hood. It beingDecember I didn't think there would be many pictures on the way...clamouring to be taken...but there were quite a few...including the "December Roses"...in today's picture. After lunch on the Drive...felt the need to walk some more...so walked all theway home. I feel benefited from my walking today...and I know well...how if I let manydays go by without walking or other exercise...how wretched I'm likely to feel. So..once again...I am thankful for the gift of mobility...may it continue to be availableto me...................................Quester.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Don't Rescue Me

Once wrote this verse in a song..."Don't rescue me with words I've heard before...Ican't take anymore...conversion I don't need...I need a friend to listen close to me...not show me how to be...what I'll be in the end". From early in my life...I found myself nudged...to work out things for myself...and started a long trial and error journey. In time...I began to see the need to give advice...that some people exercisestrongly...as likely...an ego need of the person who is giving advice. Of course...there is advice from those who are experienced or knowledgeable...that can benefitothers. I eventually worked out a ground rule for myself about advice...i.e. if it'snot asked for...it's likely not wanted...so...wait to be asked...before you startdishing out advice to someone...in your orbit. I suppose...one of the fine things about posting entries on a Blog...even though sometimes that may overlap into whatseems to be giving advice...is that your "inner advisor"...can be expressed...andthose who happen to read it out in cyberspace...can take it or leave it...withoutever being cornered...by you...attempting to rescue them. Perhaps a good way ofending this entry...is with the chorus of the song I started with. It is..."Theworld is full of words falling like rain on me...I look to find the healing thatthey promise me"..................................Quester.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Healing Circle

[Words from my song: "Healing Circle".Copyright-SOCAN]"I'll go down to the healing circle...Put down all my fears and trouble...Give my thanks for earth and sun and sky...earth...sun...and sky...There's so much that's lost...But so much to be found...We're like the grassstill growing from the ground...Through the wind and rain and storm...It never dies...it never dies..."........................Quester.

Monday, December 01, 2008

"Blur Stills"

I have many pictures taken around my city...but today I wanted to post one of my otherkinds of pictures. I focused in on my "blur stills" file...looked through a few of the pictures in there...settled on one which was still in an un-uploadable file...converted its format to JPEG...and was glad to see that...I had indeed made it "uploadable". For someone like myself...relatively new to computers...I am never quite sure how processes like the one I just described...will turn out...so it's a cause for a minor celebration when it works out. "Blur stills" you ask?...that's just my way of describing an experiment I did when I acquired my first digital camera. As I recall...I moved the camera in its video mode...rapidly over the subject of the picture...then honed in on one frame from the said video. It provided many interesting pictures...to me anyway...including today's. May the creative experiments never cease.......Quester.